Neurocognitive aging

Simon R. Cox

doi:10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441

Neurocognitive aging

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

On average, most aspects of adult human brains and cognitive functions experience decline with age, yet individuals also differ greatly in how much decline they experience. This review surveys the state of the art in neurocognitive aging research and our progress toward understanding brain and cognitive aging. It covers the empirical evidence that characterizes their respective mean changes with age before highlighting the substantial and important heterogeneity in how severely people experience aging. It then discusses major neurocognitive aging theories and current supporting evidence alongside methodological and conceptual caveats, including those arising from the replication crisis. This review concludes by using a systems biology schema to survey newer areas of research and future opportunities that will serve to narrow the gaps between biological levels of explanation, furthering our understanding of mechanisms, the stratification of risk, and ameliorative strategies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	505-527
Number of pages	23
Journal	Annual Review of Developmental Psychology
Volume	6
Early online date	11 Sept 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441
Publication status	Published - Dec 2024

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

brain ageing
cognitive ageing
neurocognitive
ageing
neurodegeneration
neuroscience

Access to Document

10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

CoxARDP2024NeurocognitiveAgingFinal published version, 732 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

http://CoxARDP2024NeurocognitiveAgingLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 Waves 6 and 7
Cox, S. (Principal Investigator), Bastin, M. (Co-investigator), Munoz Maniega, S. (Co-investigator), Shenkin, S. (Co-investigator) & Wardlaw, J. (Co-investigator)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
1/04/22 → 28/02/26
Project: Research
Large-Scale Genomic Analysis of Aging-Related Cognitive Change Prior to Dementia Onset
Cox, S. (Principal Investigator), Deary, I. (Co-investigator) & Marioni, R. (Co-investigator)
National Institutes of Health
15/08/21 → 31/07/26
Project: Research
Factors of biological ageing: does it all go together when it goes?
Cox, S. (Principal Investigator)
Wellcome Trust (Rcl)
1/05/21 → 30/09/26
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "Neurocognitive aging",

abstract = "On average, most aspects of adult human brains and cognitive functions experience decline with age, yet individuals also differ greatly in how much decline they experience. This review surveys the state of the art in neurocognitive aging research and our progress toward understanding brain and cognitive aging. It covers the empirical evidence that characterizes their respective mean changes with age before highlighting the substantial and important heterogeneity in how severely people experience aging. It then discusses major neurocognitive aging theories and current supporting evidence alongside methodological and conceptual caveats, including those arising from the replication crisis. This review concludes by using a systems biology schema to survey newer areas of research and future opportunities that will serve to narrow the gaps between biological levels of explanation, furthering our understanding of mechanisms, the stratification of risk, and ameliorative strategies.",

keywords = "brain ageing, cognitive ageing, neurocognitive, ageing, neurodegeneration, neuroscience",

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doi = "10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441",

language = "English",

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pages = "505--527",

journal = "Annual Review of Developmental Psychology",

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N2 - On average, most aspects of adult human brains and cognitive functions experience decline with age, yet individuals also differ greatly in how much decline they experience. This review surveys the state of the art in neurocognitive aging research and our progress toward understanding brain and cognitive aging. It covers the empirical evidence that characterizes their respective mean changes with age before highlighting the substantial and important heterogeneity in how severely people experience aging. It then discusses major neurocognitive aging theories and current supporting evidence alongside methodological and conceptual caveats, including those arising from the replication crisis. This review concludes by using a systems biology schema to survey newer areas of research and future opportunities that will serve to narrow the gaps between biological levels of explanation, furthering our understanding of mechanisms, the stratification of risk, and ameliorative strategies.

AB - On average, most aspects of adult human brains and cognitive functions experience decline with age, yet individuals also differ greatly in how much decline they experience. This review surveys the state of the art in neurocognitive aging research and our progress toward understanding brain and cognitive aging. It covers the empirical evidence that characterizes their respective mean changes with age before highlighting the substantial and important heterogeneity in how severely people experience aging. It then discusses major neurocognitive aging theories and current supporting evidence alongside methodological and conceptual caveats, including those arising from the replication crisis. This review concludes by using a systems biology schema to survey newer areas of research and future opportunities that will serve to narrow the gaps between biological levels of explanation, furthering our understanding of mechanisms, the stratification of risk, and ameliorative strategies.

KW - brain ageing

KW - cognitive ageing

KW - neurocognitive

KW - ageing

KW - neurodegeneration

KW - neuroscience

U2 - 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441

DO - 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-010923-102441

M3 - Review article

SN - 2640-7922

VL - 6

SP - 505

EP - 527

JO - Annual Review of Developmental Psychology

JF - Annual Review of Developmental Psychology

ER -

Neurocognitive aging

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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Projects

The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 Waves 6 and 7

Large-Scale Genomic Analysis of Aging-Related Cognitive Change Prior to Dementia Onset

Factors of biological ageing: does it all go together when it goes?

Cite this